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ary which had now arisen。 On all grounds； it was impossible for me to refuse him； and I am still glad to remember that my assent was given； on the whole； ungrudgingly。
〃But when will the chest be ready for me I merely asked； as I stuffed the notes into my cigarette case。 〃And how are we to get it out of this； in banking hours； without attracting any amount of attention at this end？〃
Raffles gave me an approving nod。
〃I'm glad to see you spot the crux so quickly； Bunny。 I have thought of your taking it round to your place first； under cloud of night； but we are bound to be seen even so； and on the whole it would look far less suspicious in broad daylight。 It will take you some twelve or fifteen minutes to drive to your bank in a growler； so if you are here with one at a quarter to ten to…morrow morning； that will exactly meet the case。 But you must have a hansom this minute if you mean to prepare the way with those notes this afternoon！〃
It was only too like the Raffles of those days to dismiss a subject and myself in the same breath； with a sudden nod； and a brief grasp of the hand he was already holding out for mine。 I had a great mind to take another of his cigarettes instead； for there were one or two points on which he had carefully omitted to enlighten me。 Thus； I had still to learn the bare direction of his journey； and it was all that I could do to drag it from him as I stood buttoning my coat and gloves。
〃Scotland；〃 he vouchsafed at last。
〃At Easter；〃 I remarked。
〃To learn the language；〃 he explained。 〃I have no tongue but my own； you see； but I try to make up for it by cultivating every shade of that。 Some of them have come in useful even to your knowledge； Bunny： what price my Cockney that night in St。 John's Wood？ I can keep up my end in stage Irish； real Devonshire； very fair Norfolk； and three distinct Yorkshire dialects。 But my good Galloway Scots might be better； and I mean to make it so。〃
〃You still haven't told me where to write to you。〃
〃I'll write to you first； Bunny。〃
〃At least let me see you off；〃 I urged at the door。 〃I promise not to look at your ticket if you tell me the train！〃
〃The eleven…fifty from Euston。〃
〃Then I'll be with you by quarter to ten。〃
And I left him without further parley； reading his impatience in his face。 Everything； to be sure； seemed clear enough without that fuller discussion which I loved and Raffles hated。 Yet I thought we might at least have dined together； and in my heart I felt just the least bit hurt； until it occurred to me as I drove to count the notes in my cigarette case。 Resentment was impossible after that。 The sum ran well into three figures； and it was plain that Raffles meant me to have a good time in his absence。 So I told his lie with unction at my bank； and made due arrangements for the reception of his chest next morning。 Then I repaired to our club； hoping he would drop in； and that we might dine together after all。 In that I was disappointed。 It was nothing； however； to the disappointment awaiting me at the Albany； when I arrived in my four…wheeler at the appointed hour next morning。
〃Mr。 Raffles 'as gawn； sir；〃 said the porter； with a note of reproach in his confidential undertone。 The man was a favorite with Raffles； who used him and tipped him with consummate tact； and he knew me only less well。
〃Gone！〃 I echoed aghast。 〃Where on earth to？〃
〃Scotland； sir。〃
〃Already？〃
〃By the eleven…fifty lawst night〃
〃Last night！ I thought he meant eleven…fifty this morning！〃
〃He knew you did； sir； when you never came； and he told me to tell you there was no such train。〃
I could have rent my garments in mortification and annoyance with myself and Raffles。 It was as much his fault as mine。 But for his indecent haste in getting rid of me； his characteristic abruptness at the end； there would have been no misunderstanding or mistake。
〃Any other message？〃 I inquired morosely。
〃Only about the box； sir。 Mr。 Raffles said as you was goin' to take chawge of it time he's away； and I've a friend ready to lend a 'and in getting it on the cab。 It's a rare 'eavy 'un； but Mr。 Raffles an' me could lift it all right between us； so I dessay me an' my friend can。〃
For my own part； I must confess that its weight concerned me less than the vast size of that infernal chest； as I drove with it past club and park at ten o'clock in the morning。 Sit as far back as I might in the four…wheeler； I could conceal neither myself nor my connection with the huge iron…clamped case upon the roof： in my heated imagination its wood was glass through which all the world could see the guilty contents。 Once an officious constable held up the traffic at our approach； and for a moment I put a blood…curdling construction upon the simple ceremony。 Low boys shouted after us … or if it was not after us； I thought it was … and that their cry was 〃Stop thief！〃 Enough said of one of the most unpleasant cab…drives I ever had in my life。 Horresco referens。
At the bank； however； thanks to the foresight and liberality of Raffles； all was smooth water。 I paid my cabman handsomely； gave a florin to the stout fellow in livery whom he helped with the chest； and could have pressed gold upon the genial clerk who laughed like a gentleman at my jokes about the Liverpool winners and the latest betting on the Family Plate。 I was only disconcerted when he informed me that the bank gave no receipts for deposits of this nature。 I am now aware that few London banks do。 But it is pleasing to believe that at the time I looked … what I felt … as though all I valued upon earth were in jeopardy。
I should have got through the rest of that day happily enough； such was the load off my mind and hands； but for an extraordinary and most disconcerting note received late at night from Raffles himself。 He was a man who telegraphed freely； but seldom wrote a letter。 Sometimes； however； he sent a scribbled line by special messenger； and overnight； evidently in the train； he had scribbled this one to post in the small hours at Crewe：
〃'Ware Prince of Professors！ He was in the offing when I left。 If slightest cause for uneasiness about bank； withdraw at once and keep in own rooms Like good chap； 〃A。 J。 R。 〃P。 8。 … Other reasons； as you shall hear。〃
There was a nice nightcap for a puzzled head！ I had made rather an evening of it； what with increase of funds and decrease of anxiety； but this cryptic admonition spoiled the remainder of my night。 It had arrived by a late post； and I only wished that I had left it all night in my letter…box。 What exactly did it mean？ And what exactly must I do？ These were questions that confronted me with fresh force in the morning。
The news of Crawshay did not surprise me。 I was quite sure that Raffles had been given good reason to bear him in mind before his journey； even if he had not again beheld the ruffian in the flesh。 That ruffian and that journey might be more intimately connected than I had yet supposed。 Raffles never told me all。 Yet the solid fact held good … held better than ever … that I had seen his plunder safely planted in